A Critique of Azikiwe’s Political Philosophy of Neo-Welfarism

Abstract

Most African states after achieving independence were bedeviled by myriads of challenges. Most outstanding of these challenges were the problems of leadership and absence of pragmatic political ideology and underdevelopment. Nigeria as one of the young African states then had its fair share in the directionless governance which much accounted for its political instability. Consequently, the first president of Nigeria, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe who held that the political practice of the traditional African society was a combination of ‘capitalism’, ‘socialism’ and ‘welfarism’ which worked very well for them, advocated that we go back to our roots, adopt the same and update it to suit contemporary African society. The culmination of this was his political philosophy cum ideology for Nigeria which he called “Neo-welfarism” which is a political and economic system that synthesizes the good elements of capitalism, socialism and welfarism in socio-economic relations, illumined by the Nigerian indigenous ethics. This, he recommended as a remedial ideology for Nigeria’s socio-political and economic emancipation. This research sets to attempt a critique of Azikiwe’s “Neo-welfarism”. It showed that despite all objections, Azikiwe’s attempt to harmonize opposing economic doctrines through eclectic-pragmatic method suggests a viable path to economic development as well as political and social integration of the Nigerian state.